Mortarboard

When I graduated I hired my gown and mortarboard from the university. I remember none of us threw our mortarboards in the air. Maybe that was because we all wanted to get our deposits back. Well here is a mortarboard you can throw to your heart’s content 🙂

This pattern requires black 8 ply wool, a 4mm hook and a bit of stiff cardboard. It fits an adult. The pattern is written in American crochet notation.

Cap

With black wool

Round 1: 6sc in a magic ring (6 stitches)

Round 2: increase in every stitch (12 stitches)

Round 3: sc in the first stitch, increase in the next stitch – repeat (18 stitches)

Round 4: sc in the first two stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (24 stitches)

Round 5: sc in the first three stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (30 stitches)

Round 6: sc in the first four stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (36 stitches)

Round 7: sc in the first five stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (42 stitches)

Round 8: sc in the first six stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (48 stitches)

Round 9: sc in the first seven stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (54 stitches)

Round 10: sc in the first eight stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (60 stitches)

Round 11: sc in the first nine stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (66 stitches)

Round 12: sc in the first ten stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (72 stitches)

Round 13: sc in the first eleven stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (78 stitches)

Round 14: sc in the first twelve stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (84 stitches)

Round 15: sc in the first thirteen stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (90 stitches)

Round 16: sc in the first fourteen stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (96 stitches)

Round 17: sc in the first fifteen stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (102 stitches)

Rounds 18 – 25: sc in each stitch (102 stitches)

Front pointy bit

Row 1: continuing on from where you completed the last round, sc 49 stitches (49 stitches)

Row 2: Instead of turning at this point we are going to return to the start of this row so that we don’t change the texture of the crochet. To do this draw out the loop so that it is long enough to reach back to the start of the row. Make sure the wool you are working with is also long enough to reach back to the start of the row. Then just pop your hook into the first stitch in the row and continue crocheting. This is a bit fiddly but it means you will only ever be crocheting that row in one direction and the texture will look as if you are doing a round even though you a working in rows. Magic!

Row 3: Return to the start of the row. (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc in the next 37 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 2 (41 stitches)

Row 4: Return to the start of the row. (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc in the next 33 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 2 (37 stitches)

Row 5: Return to the start of the row. (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc in the next 29 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 2 (33 stitches)

Row 6: Return to the start of the row. (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc in the next 25 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 2 (29 stitches)

Row 7: Return to the start of the row. (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc in the next 21 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 2 (25 stitches)

Row 8: Return to the start of the row. (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc in the next 17 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 2 (21 stitches)

Row 9: Return to the start of the row. (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc in the next 13 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 2 (17 stitches)

Row 10: Return to the start of the row. (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc in the next 9 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 2 (13 stitches)

Row 11: Return to the start of the row. (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc in the next 5 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 2 (9 stitches)

Row 12: Return to the start of the row. (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc in the next stitch, (decrease two stitches together) x 2 (5 stitches)

Row 13: Return to the start of the row. Decrease two stitches together, sc in the next stitch, decrease two stitches together (3 stitches)

Row 14: Decrease the remaining three stitches together (1 stitch)

Fasten off, weave in end.

Back pointy bit

Skip 2 stitches, join the wool in the third stitch and then repeat the instructions for the front pointy bit.

Border

Sc around the edge of the cap to neaten it up a bit.

The board bit

Cut a piece of stiff cardboard so it is a square 22cm by 22 cm.

Round 1: chain 41. Sc 39 stitches along the chain and then increase in the last chain. Then sc 38 stitches back along the remaining loops on the other side of the chain and increase in the last stitch (about 80 stitches)

Rounds 2 – 45: sc in each stitch (80 stitches)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Slip the cover over the square of cardboard and sew up the end.

Bobble thingy

Round 1: 6sc in a magic ring (6 stitches)

Round 2: increase in every stitch (12 stitches)

Round 3: sc in each stitch (back loops only) (12 stitches)

Round 4: decrease around (6 stitches)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Tassel

Fold your wool into lengths of eight centimetres. Keep doing this until your little bundle of wool is quite thick. Then wrap your wool around the top a few times to tie it all together. Cut the dangling bits of wool so that they are all straight lengths, not loops. Sew the wool through the little loops above the wrapping to secure it. Then sew your wool to the middle of the top of the board and then back to the top of the tassel so the tassel dangles a few centimetres below the board. Fasten off and sew the end through the wrapped bit into the dangle bits of wool to hide it.

Assembly

Sew the bobble to the middle of the top of the board (covering where the tassel is secured). Sew the board to the cap.